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I recommend this read.

"On The Road" is an American novel written by Jack Kerouac. I loved this book. I found the storyline fast paced and the language clever yet incredibly readable. The style of writing I really appreciated as it made it easy to dip in and out of the book, I don't have loads of spare time for reading at the moment and this is something which I require in a good read!

The theme of the story is essentially in the title, being "on the road". The protagonist Sal and his crazy friend Dean, travel all over America in search of something missing from their lives staying in one place.

I think the key quote of the book is "We know time." This simply refers to the sensation of realising mortality, realising how little time there is to do everything you want to, how Sal & Dean pack as many sensations into every day as they can, how they go about this by travelling. The book is set in post depression America. I've never been to America and it was fascinating to get a brief snapshot of each city.

Dean ends up having kids and several wives, whereas Sal looks on this with a rather detached viewpoint, and we as the reader have empathy for these women that he leaves scattered across the continent to bring up his children. He never has time for them, and pursues the endless horizon impatiently in search of new things, carelessly ignoring his dependents and instead using all his money on a car.

Jack Kerouac sums up the loneliness of life on the road succinctly in this novel, following the story firsthand from Sal's viewpoint of the ups and downs, the near misses with death, the desperate moments, the excitement, the variety of people, the unpredictability and the adventure. In one sense it makes you want to throw in everything and take off with your dreams, on the other it makes you incredibly apprehensive about all the bad parts!

Human relationships and hedonism are key themes, with "looking out for yourself in desperate situations" trumping friendship in certain cases throughout the book. It makes you think deeply about friendship and travels.

I haven't seen the film but I believe it is also a film now... However, I think the film would have to be brilliant to live up to expectation! A great read even if you have a hectic schedule, you can pick up this book in between things. Five stars.

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Top of the book shelf !

I was 18 when i read this book, i read it the summer i finished school. My mind was running in directions its never been before and i had no idea what was coming for the rest of my life. I had ideas of travelling and i loved the ideas. Though i never knew what it entailed or how it would really actually feel. Then i rea dthis book and everything made sense, jeck kerouac. From his writing style to his descriptions, to his adventures. I wanted to delve in the world i had just read about . His adventures , from all over the usa are incredible. They're exactly what a travelling adventure should be and a complete entertaining book that is so much more than just a good read.

He explains in great detail about the adventures he has , the people he meets and his own thoughts and ideas. All of which in gripping and entertaining. It just makes you want to live his experience and do exactly what he did. It makes you want to catch the next plane to anywhere and ride life in the same way he did.

Enjoy it, its Inspirational

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Semiautobiographical account set within the "Beat Generation".

On the Road is a semiautobiographical account of the travels of author Jack Kerouac across America in the 1950s. The main character Salvatore "Sal" Paradise is accompanied by his unforgettable friend Dean Moriaty on his adventures across the country, where loose woman, drugs, swinging parties and brushes with the law are the normality, at a time when underground America danced to the bop and rhythm of jazz.

Jack Kerouac was born in Lowell, Massachusetts on March 12th 1922 and graduated from Lowell High School before attending Horace Man prep school and Columbia University. After dropping out he worked as a Merchant Seaman and after the Second World War developed his own style of writing which he called "spontaneous prose".

Within On the Road, journeys are described as frantic smoke filled car rides across the country, down dusty highways, and over mountain tops, with a final trip to Mexico finishing with an expensive time spent at the local whore house drinking and dancing to mambo, ending with Dean leaving Sal sick with dysentery and with time to reflect on their friendship.

Recognised today as a modern classic, On the Road is free flowing and easy to read and in my opinion an epic novel and must have for all those with an interest in later popular culture. Within On the Road, Kerouac records the life of the American traveller and the Beat Generation of the 1950s, in a book that describes the tone of America at that moment in time perfectly.

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Deffinately worth trying out.

Jack Kerouac's On the Road could probably considered THE book of the beat generation. All the followers and admirers of that time period just has to read this.

Based on true life experiances by Kerouac himself, this book is largely autobiographical. However, it's focus is not on Kerouac (portrayed as Sal Paradise) but on the energetic, enigmatic, charsmatic Dean Moriarty and his effects on Sal. That is what makes it most interesting.

The experiances and events described in the book are far from boring though. From whorehouses in Mexico to Jazz clubs in San Francissco, whilst starving on the streets or hitch hiking across the great American continent, Kerouac tells of his story with such perfect honesty, and I think that is the definning feature of the book.

His descriptions of sadness, disappointment, anger are all true and from the heart. Whilst many would shy away from the bad times, Kerouac embraces them with an energy that sends him shooting away On the Road.

Deffinately worth reading. Though I admit that this is not for everyone, I maintain that everyone should still read it, atleast once. It is such an amazing book, and has every potential of changing your life, or atleast changing the way you see life.

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It's adventurous, brave and wholly illuminating.

On The Road is an exciting and enchanting perpsective on post-war America's cultural enlightenment, denoting a people's social revolution on the backdrop of an American 'halcyon' idealism.

It highlights the desperate yet opportunistic nature of the 'beat' generation as they expand their horizons across the huge stretch of an entire continent.

Outlining the experiences and revelations of a fragmented group of college peers and other random associates, it delves into the fiery-hearted life of drug experimentation and liberal thinking, in a decade where the clasp of the state was becoming ever more relinquished. As a psuedo-biographical work the author loosely basis the narrator, Sal Paradise, on his own turbulent past, and specifically that of the character he befriends and idolises, Dean Moriarty. The scope of the events that develop resolve around Dean's unorthodox beliefs and unique persona, encompassing a broad psychological spectrum of impulse, spontaneity and instabilty. It also touches heavily on the reality of desperation in a world ravaged by war and destitution, inevitably recognising the importance and growing prominence of the quintessesntial 'American Dream'.

This work has, and will continue to honour its credentials as being one of the ultimate life-changing reads. It's adventurous, brave and wholly illuminating.

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Key novel of the 1950's - very inspirational. Stunning language.

'On The Road' is Kerouac's best known and most loved novel. Kerouac's popularity has undergone some kind of revival in the last couple of decades. Today he is celebrated worldwide and is the literary hero of hundreds. Just last week I watched a new documentary which showed Lothario comedian Russell Brand hot-footing it across America, recreating Kerouac's epic road trip. His enthusiasm for life, love and for gaining spiritual wisdom is indeed what most people take away from the book.I discovered Kerouac at the age of 16 - a perfect age to embrace all the free love, anti-conformist, searching-for-meaning messages of the novel. I plunged right into the deep end of Kerouac's work though - devouring 'Lonesome Traveler', 'Desolation Angels','Vanity of Duluoz' and 'Big Sur' before finally getting around to 'On the Road'. By this time I was totally familiar with Kerouac's 'spontaneous prose' style - the stream of consciousness kind of writing, instant words that can never be edited. When I started reading 'On the Road', I became aware that this novel was a little more cautious and somewhat revised. The writing style is far more controlled than in later works by the author. The style overall is rushed and the honest language of the soul is often overlooked in a first reading.I can understand why some people read this book and think: "well, nothing happens!". There is no complicated narrative or plot - just friends hanging out in various parts of America, just pure description and observation. The end goal, the aim of the journey, is of course a spiritual one. Kerouac's imagining of the landscape says more about him than in does about the physical reality. At one point he talks of clouds that seem to tell him: "You're on the road to Heaven." His decision to move, to travel is an obvious metaphor and refers to the road one has to travel to find inner peace, happiness and wisdom.When I studied this novel for my final year dissertation at uni I was astounded by how much more the novel can offer when examined in a close reading situation. There are less obvious themes in the novel, discovered in your second or third readings, which place this firmly in the 1950's as an extremely important part of the literary canon. What I love about this novel are the moments of pure Kerouacian exuberance and honesty - the mere sparks of the inferno inside himself. I love the fact that it is a novel that inspires so many people, even today. What I dislike about the novel is the sometimes repetitive structure of the the narrative. I dislike the misogynistic viewpoints of the author too. I dislike the fact that so many wild souls in life, the druggies, the alchies and the sex-crazed are so rampant for this novel that its deeper meaning is often undermined."Life is holy and every moment is precious...": catch hold of such lines in 'On the Road' and be inspired.

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Freadom on the road

There are few books that I have read more than once. I am not fussy about reading as many books as I can. I think that with books, once you have reached a certain age, it makes sense and re read them. We, the reader, have matured, or at least changed, passed through many experiences, and I find that some of the books I had read more than 10 years ago and I loved, are now giving me different emotions and thoughts.

"On the road" written by Jack Kerouac is a book I have read in full twice, but in fact, I have gone through some parts of it more than twice.

The first time I read it was more than 10 years ago, at secondary school, and I remember that it left me with a huge, burning desire to go on the road and travel USA with any means of transport, stopping here and there and picking up jobs as a waitress.

I have never lived that dream. Sal, the main character of the book, did.

Last year I read On the road again. I am now settled. I have what we call a good job, and even more interestingly, I do travel around Europe in business class and I am not allowed to stay at any Hotel which is not at least 4 stars by the policy of my company! Sal, and his pal Dean, always passed next to people like me. These people are like shadows in the book. The book is alive with "beat" people, hobos, people who travel with the last dollar they have in their pockets.

I will not give too much away of the book, but it is a great book, trust me. However, today I know that that was only a dream, an ideal, and reality is different. But somehow, that ideal, that dream to live that careless life free has remained inside me, and this is why I love so much this book!

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Written in 1957, On The Road takes us into the mind of Jack Kerouac. This is a piece of literature that has received acclaim and recognition for its pioneering aspects. It through its release classified, and categorised a whole region of writers and their style as the Beat Generation. Thrilling and beautifully written, the American novel launches us strait into the plot and the essence of the literature. Reminiscent of his other work On The Road is very much autobiographical fiction. Sal Paradise is Jack Kerouac's invention. A carefree youth. Clouded by his own misjudgement on the situation of life, Sal Paradise has no direction in his life. He believes himself to be very much a very spirit. Sal invariably doesn't confine to the rules and regulations that American society has burdened him with. Inevitably, Sal meets and befriends the notorious Dean Moriarty, a parallel to Kerouac's friend Neal Cassady; essentially they are two of the same being. They share the same views and aspirations and so form a relationship that will change their lives forever. The potholes in the American Dream are the basis for this classic novel of self-realization. How many times has the term The American Dream been used so lightly and freely in literature almost as if to imply it is something that everyone in America has or can experience. Whenever mentioned, I instantly conjure up various connotations that are associated with it. A big car, nice house, a wife and three point four children. Kerouac wants more than this simple cliché, he realises that no everyone can live the American Dream and sets out to expose the injustices and lack of equality in America in an adventurous tale of these two young explorers. Sal Paradise and Dean Moriarty set off for regions of America that they were no supposed to be exposed to. Things and events that their eyes should never have witnessed. Drugs, death and the inner cities brought about the revela tion that not everyone was living the American Dream in the 1950's. For me, it was fascinating to see how the sheltered boys were suddenly exposed to the reality of the lives of people, they never even knew existed. Remember the days of the Cold War and McCarthyism, the fear and disapproval of Jazz musician and the desperate necessity for parents to keep their children in order. Sal and Dean are the rebels to convention and this just invigorates the reader and makes the novel even more interesting. Witness Sal and Dean closely relate themselves with 'Jazz' musicians, smoke 'Tea' and generally go against the grain of society. Sal and Dean find a job working on the crop fields alongside the crop labourers. Their laid back attitude keeps them mentally weak and their "Can't Someone Else Do It" makes for hilarious reading. Jack Kerouac questions the phrase that hard work can get you where you want to get in life. The interesting thing about the author Jack Kerouac is that he is so blatant and fresh in his literature. He coats nothing and leaves things raw such is the drug scenes and Sal and Deans interactions with other characters. For this reason I don't recommend On The Road to young children, especially if they live in America, this is because On The Road is so harsh. One must remember that Sal and Dean are undirected youth, very influential and the constitutions and morals that they stand for are against the traditional family values. On The Road is sheer brilliance, it is literature that edges at your mind and inspires thoughts. Jack Kerouac language and characters force you to question the structure of the world. You find yourself realising how we are so controlled by the boundaries that we allow ourselves to be placed within, the Prime Minister, The Tax Collector even the aged man across the road, the one you sense is constantly watching you; what if we were to go agains t the grain like Sal and Dean. I'm not saying we should, I'm just saying what if, I just questioning the thought of others. Jack Kerouac proves the mind is a powerful thing.

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Dont' read this if you liked 'On the Road'. Because I am not telling you where I live and its not even worth trying to kill me. Still here? Oh, well. I warned you. I didn't like 'On the Road'. Now, the reason I went through all that was because everyone I have ever met who has read this book - a modern classic by all rights - has raved about it. I thought I would love it. And I began by loving it. It is biographical, Kerouac in the persona of Sal Paradise, and his friends clothed similaraly in loose disguises. He and they were something of an intellectual circle - a sort of bohemian literary club, exploring style and phrase, trying the push back the boundaries of expression. Wow, thought I. This is great. But then they decide to go and travel round the country. And have lots of fun. And they realise that life is for living, and that everything is beautiful. Which is a great revelation. Well done to them. And thats what most people seem to see in this book. HOWEVER! There are a few things that everyone seems to miss. I am going to put on an extra 50 years now, and sound like your grandmother, and I'm sorry, but it has to be done. They are so irresponsible! And you're going to say, 'Well, that's the point! That's the whole essence of the Beat Generation!' Great. What's so good about glorifying stealing from people who can barely scratch a living themselves? What's so good about ruining someone's favourite car that they have paid you to drive across America? What's so good about invading someone's home, eating all their food, eyeing up their daughters and messing up their homes and their lives? What's so good about begetting fourteen children all over the country to almost as many mothers, and then leaving them all as soon as another girl catches your eye? It made me physically angry to read this. Partly because I didn't agree with it, and partly because so many people loved this book enough to pass over this kind of thing. But enough of sounding like a grandmother. Now I am going to put on a guise that I hate wearing even more than my teacosy granny hat - the feminist hat! I hate feminism. Just because I don't feel that (for me, and other girls in developed and liberal countries anyway) there is any need for us to be any more liberated. All we need is time now, to smooth out the wrinkles left from an unequal world. There isn't really a problem as I see it. But 'On the Road' has to be one of the most misogynistic books I have ever read. Kerouac and his friends flit around the country picking up women whenever they feel like it. Fine. I'm ok with that. What I object to is how they view women, and love, and marriage. At the slightest hint of attraction they declare themselves deeply in love. What a load of crap, for a start. But it gets worse. Dean Moriarty, in particular. He will get one girl, sleep with her for maybe a day straight, get married to her, get her pregnant, all within the space of a month or so. Then he will leave, and find another girl in another city and immediately apply for a divorce so he can symbolise his next meaningless love. So there's that. Then there's their attitude to women generally. There is a scene where Dean and Sal meet an old jazz man, who takes them back to his tumbledown house. There is only one light bulb, which is above the wife's bed. The boys come home early in the morning and lean over the bed to unscrew the lightbulb, and the women just lies there, smiling at them. She doesn't say a word. When they get out the room one of the two says to the other something along the lines of, 'That's how a woman should be. Never complaining, never moaning. Just lying there and smiling. That man is a king. He is the king in his own home.' I had to read this twice just to certify to my shocked senses that I had understood the meaning correctly. What a way to look at a woman! Kerouac glorifies women in that they are beautiful, and useful for sex. His love sounds imaginary - idealistic, like everything else. But really they treat their women like toys - using them then throwing them away. They patronise them. Not once in the book is a woman treated like a normal human being. They are always rather irritating, irrational, unable to understand things. The enormity of having innumerable children by several different women doesn't seem to hit Dean, nor the wrongness of it. Sal and Dean rush in, have their fun, and ruin peoples' lives. I can see nothing glorious in that. Through my black tinted spectacles I could actually see that this is a fantastic book. It is well written, exciting, enthusiastic and contagious. The jazz scenes are particularly emotive and energetically described. I am going to read it again to appreciate these things more. But I just wanted to speak my mind on what I consider horrible indignities in the general spirit of the text. They blotted out the rest for me. I could not bring myself to like either Dean or Sal because I could not agree with their morals. I just saw them breaking everything in their way, and I found this very sad, and not in the least inspirational.